Cover for ensilage



J. H. STACY.

COVER-FOR ENSILAGE.

APPLlcATloN FILEn AUG.4.1920.

Patented June 'L 192k LSSWE JOHN H.

errar ore.

STACY, OF CLINTONVLILE, WSCONSIN.

COVER FOR ENSILAGE.

releases.

Specification of Letters Patent.

vPatented une 7, 1921.

Application filed August 4, 1920. Serial No. 401,154.

Clintonville, in the county of Waupaca and State of Visconsin, have invented a new and useful Cover for Ensilage, of which the Iollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to a cover adapted to be placed in a silo for the purpose of covering the ensilage therein and for providing a substantially sealed air space above the ensilage for the retention of heat generated by the ensilage and, consequently, materially reducing the danger of the ensilage becoming frozen in cold weather.

A further object is to provide a cover which, when lifted, will automatically become disengaged from the wall of the silo so that it can be raised easily.

A still further object is to provide a cover which is simple and compact in construction and which can beexpanded and contracted readily.

Vith the foregoing and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the. invention resides in the conibination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that, within the scope of what is claimed, changes in the precise embodiment of the invention shown can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred form of the invention has been shown.

Insaid drawings- Y n Figure 1Y is a section through a silo having the present improvements combined therewith, one of the positions of the'covei' beingindicated by full lines and another position by dotted lines.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the cover.

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view thereof.V

Referring` to the figures by characters of reference 1 designates opposed semi-circular sections each of which is provided with parallel pairs of guide cieats 2 secured to the bottom face thereof. The cleats of each pair are connected by cross strips 3 and slidably mounted between the cleats of each pair and held in place by thecross strips 3 are coupling bars l extending into the spaces between the opposed pairs of strips or cleats 2, thus to hold the sections 1 iush with each other. The bars 4t can be held against longitudinal movement by pins 5 inserted into Vproper actuation of the mechanism.

them and bearing against certain of the cross strips 3, as shown. Obviouslyby removing these pins the sections l-can be moved longitudinally between the parallel alining strips 2, thus permitting the sections 1 to be separated.

Pivotally connected to the opposed sec- 'tions 1 at the bottom thereof are downvis supported under the center of the cover.

@entering cords 8 lconnect the block to opposed portions of the cover, Athus to hold said block properly centered and insure the One of the sections 1 is preferably provided with an opening 9 which can be covered by any suitable means but which can be removed whenever it is desired to inspect the ensilage under the cover.

A plate 10V is secured along the straight edge portion of one of the sections 1, being fastened thereto by screws 11 or the like. This plate laps the straight edge portion of the opposed section 1 and has parallel slots 12 slidably engagedby studs 13 projecting from that portion of the section 1 thereunder. Thus it will be seen that the plate 10 serves to close the space between the two sections 1 when they are moved apart.

Guide pins 14 are extended upwardly from` the two sections 1 and have heads which can lap opposed tongues 15 extending in. wardly from arcuate cover sections 16. These tongues 15 have parallel side'edges and the two tongues are disposed in alinement but opposite to each other, they being extended longitudinally along the plate 10 and from the centers of the arcuate portions 16. To the inner end of each of the tonguesvl are pivotally connected links 17 and these links are similarly connected, as at 18, to the sections 1 of the cover. A suitable hoisting cable 19 can be connected to the cover in any manner desired and extended upwardly over a supporting sheave 20 within the uppery portion ofthe silo and thence'outwardly through the silo as shown in Fig. 1.

Obviously when the cover is held suspended by the cable 19 the block 7, which constitutes a weight, pulls through the links G upon the two sections 1 of the cover, thus causing these sections to press together along their straight edges and also to thrust, through the links 17, against the tongues 15 so as to force said tongues toward each other and bring th-e outer curved edges ot' the sections 1G substantially in line with the periphery oli' the sections 1. rlhe cover is thus held contracted and out of Contact with the wall of the silo and can be easily moved upwardly or downwardly. l/Vhen the cover is lowered so as to bringthe block 7 against the surface of the ensilage in the silo, the cover will be relieved of the weight of the block as said c over continues to move downwardly. Consequently the links 6 will be caused to move apart at their upper ends during the continued downward movement of the cover while the block 7 is being held and this will result in the two sections 1 being moved apart. At the same time said sections will pull through the links 17 on the tongues 15 and cause said tongues to move apart and the outer edges of the sections 16 to thrust against the wall of the silo. It is preferred to so construct the sections that when the cover is extended its periphery will be circular and Contact, throughout its length, with the wall of the silo. lWith the cover thus located the ensilage will be sealed within the silo and warm air generated willfbe retained above thev ensilage so as to prevent freezing. As soon as the cable 19 is pulled upwardly the cover will contract and can be raised readily oil4 of the ensilage, as will be obvious.

Vilhat is claimed is:

1. A cover for ensilage, including opposed relatively movable lower sections, means 'for covering the space between said sections during said relative movement, opposed top sections movable relative to each other along lines at right angles to the direction ol' relative movement of the lower sections, a weight suspended below the cover, connece tions between the weight and the opposed lower sections torholding said sections normally drawn together, moans for transmitting motion from the lower section to the upper section for holding said upper sections normally drawn together', and a ilexihle support for the cover.

2. A cover 'for ensilage including opposed lower sections movable toward and from each other, means carried by the sections 1Cor closing the space between the sections Lesosee during such relative movement, a weight below the cover, means operated by the movement oi" the cover relative to the weight for shitting the lower sections from or toward each other, and means operated by the relative movement of the lower sections for shitting the upper sections toward or from each other, thereby to expand or contract the cover radially.

A cover for ensilage including relatively movable lower sections, means carried thereby tor closing the space between the sections, opposed upper sections mounted for relative movement along lines at right angles to the direction of relative movement of the lower sections, a weight below thev cover, means operated by the relative move- Ine-nt ci the weight and cover for shitting the lower'sections toward or from each other, and means operated by the relative movement of the lower sections for shifting the upper sections toward or from each other.

4. A cover for ensilage including opposed relatively movable lower sections, downwardly converging links extending therefrom, a weight suspended by the links, means carried by said sections for closing the space between the sections during the relative movement thereof, opposed upper sections mounted 'for relative movement along lines atV right angles to the direction of relative movement o1ni the lower sections, links upon the ripper sections and pivotally connected to the lower sections, said links being shittable by the relative movement of the lower sections formoving the upper sections toward or from each other.

5. A cover for ensilage including relatively movable sections, a weight connected to the sections for holding the cover normally contracted radially, and supporting means connected to the cover for lowering the weight against an obstruction in the path thereof to expand the cover radially.

ln testimony that I claim the 'foregoing as my own, l have hereto al'liXed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN l-I. SEACY. lVitnesses:

M. T. l/VArrn, Manin A. Bin-INNER. 

